It is sometimes hard rewriting a post when your view of a topic entirely changes.

Vic Johnson and I had a misunderstanding which was quickly resolved. From our conversation he seemed like a swell chap who was willing to do what he could to work things out.

We all make mistakes, and I could have perhaps pursued the issue from a better angle. Thanks to everyone who linked to this post and thanks to Vic for being swift and courteous. If you want to learn more about Vic Johnson click the link to visit his site.

I am not sure if the point of your comment was to anger me or to change the topic of this thread, but I will disect it as best I can.

Someone published my ebook on their site without permission. In my ebook I have a 25 page section about pay per click marketing. Andrew Goodman's book is about 150-160 pages covering PPC marketing, primarily AdWords if memory serves.

The bulk of my ebook discusses SEO & natural search optimization and his ebook does not focus on that at all. To suggest that one was directly derived from the other would lead one to expect that you did not read at least one of them.

I am not going to knock Andrew's work, because I have learned alot about him, and his ebook recommended me to Seth Godin and lots of the other people who helped me do well on the web.

The fact that I may recommend some of the similar resources as Andrew is a function of both of us liking and finding value in some of the same resources.

Much of the my initial learning about Google Adwords came from reading Andrew's book. I also have learned a considerable amount by running campaigns and probably reading over a million forum posts.

Some of the PPC tests I have done have been amazingly interesting. I also am friends with some other people who spend millions of dollars on AdWords who think my book is solid.

Multiple SEO firms have told me that my ebook is required reading for their new employees.

Seems to me it's the pot calling the kettle black.

Seems to me that you desired to change the subject of the thread to make me seem like a person without morals or integrity. You also did not even leave an email address with your post.

All of my comments are now on pre moderated because I recently had a troll on my blog writing random rubbish on every thread.

If you try to post honestly I am interested in honest feedback, but if you hope to use my blog as a tool to voice random troll-like or inaccurate statements then there is little reason for me to waste my time publishing them or replying to them.

Welcome to the blog random person named Bob

Dazzlindonna

March 11, 2005 - 1:57am

Estimate how many times he has given away your ebook (rough estimate will do), and then send him an invoice for the amount he owes you, along with a cease and desist. Of course, you may never get a response, but you might at least scare him off.

Vic Johnson

March 11, 2005 - 4:30am

Aaron, first I hope you will accept my apology as I would never intentionally "steal" anyone's intellectual property. I have to deal with that issue on a frequent basis so I fully understand your frustration. Had you checked with anyone in my industry who I do business with, you would have discovered that I have an impeccable reputation for paying royalties for the work that I use. In fact, had you checked with me you would have discovered that we actually paid royalties for one of the bonuses in our offer.

Second, had you checked with me first, you would have determined that I actually thought I was doing you a favor by distributing your eBook. It was not advertised as a bonus in my offer so I was not trying to trade on your work or in any way gain from the wrongful use of your IP. Instead, I apparently misunderstood that you were using the book as a viral marketing mechanizm and that's why we included in our downloads. I thought you did a good job with the eBook and that it was good information to provide.

I'm sorry if I have offended you and I'm sorry you feel the need to trash me. I do hope you will re-consider that decision.

>Had you checked with anyone in my industry who I do business with, you would have discovered that I have an impeccable reputation for paying royalties for the work that I use.

When I start spending my time answering customer service questions for free when someone else is making money and throwing in my work as a bonus that seems less than impeccable.

>In fact, had you checked with me you would have discovered that we actually paid royalties for one of the bonuses in our offer.

In fact, had you checked with me prior to copying my ebook you would have discovered that I would have wanted a royalty greater than $0.

>Second, had you checked with me first, you would have determined that I actually thought I was doing you a favor by distributing your eBook.

Since I currently do not provide services to too many people and have 0 affiliate links in that ebook I don't see how distributing my ebook without compensating me or even asking me is done to benefit me.

>It was not advertised as a bonus in my offer so I was not trying to trade on your work or in any way gain from the wrongful use of your IP.

You may not have been advertising it, but your package is less than mine. Eventually word spreads. Don't buy that from SeoBook.com... instead get the package from BlahBlahBlah.com. It is cheaper and includes the SEO Book free of charge.

>Instead, I apparently misunderstood that you were using the book as a viral marketing mechanizm and that's why we included in our downloads.

Where did that come from? If I were giving it away free on other sites don't you think that could piss off my customers that spend their hard earned money to buy it on this one?

I give it free to proper charities and the like, but if I gave it free to everyone I would have no business model and I would be bankrupt.

>I thought you did a good job with the eBook and that it was good information to provide.

Thanks for liking it.

>I'm sorry if I have offended you and I'm sorry you feel the need to trash me. I do hope you will re-consider that decision.

As a person who has published strong selling books yourself I would have expected you to ask prior to publishing my ebook on your site.

Wow - this will be my first post on your blog although I've been a reader for a while. I received a copy of your ebook and wanted to say thank you. Regarding this whole incident, I have two things to say:

1) Aaron, I believe you were well within your rights to "out" Mr. Johnson and I didn't see anything rude or trashy in your post at all. Had it been my product, I probably would not have been that cordial myself.

2) Vic, it's best not to BS - people can smell it a mile away. After reading your response, it's clear that you were simply trying to save face. After reading 1/2 of Aaron's book, I was more than aware that it wasn't a "viral marketing product" and I am still baffled at how you could think that.

I can't purport to know the whole story, but judging from Aaron's post - he had no idea you were distributing his work. Next time you find a product and think it may be a viral marketing product, or that you may be doing the author a favor by distributing it - ask them first (and this advice goes for anyone who wants to dabble in information products).

My 2 cents

Anthony Parsons

March 11, 2005 - 7:09am

I just say, shit hot mate. These types need to be publicly outed, and often enough to just remind them they have descended to dishonest work and thievery. Fu*kem I say and smear their name as far and wide as possible. That was a piss poor and pathetic attempt to correct what he knew was blatant theft and an attempt to highlight himself. I would take a guess that his bio is nothing more than BS also.

Aaron, I'm pleased to hear that he removed your SEO e-book from his site ... though I think it would have been interesting to hear Mr. Johnson's justification for how and why he came to the conclusion that, a favor or not, he could give away an ebook that he does not own, that does not transfer such rights to him, and which the author is selling.

Unfortunately for Mr. Johnson, he's publicly admitted his deed. Also unfortunately, information on the Web lasts a long, long time.

I find copyscape.com most usable.

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